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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Every now and again, there's an itch that only some meditative desert-blues can scratch. And so we get "Nomad," the latest album from Nigerian Omara Moctar, otherwise known as Bombino. The album cover sums up the vibe, traversing a barren landscape with sun and sand in your face, in search of an oasis that's always just over the horizon. Dan Auerbach from The Black Keys mans the boards on this one, so it's got that going for it to. Groovy stuff. Get it from Nonesuch Records and listen to "Azamane Tiliade" below.

Monday, April 29, 2013

I'm a little late with this, and i don't know why it's taken me so long to get to writing about Sweden metal act Ghost B.C., but here we are. The anonymous, painted and robed members of the band use elements of old school metal, prog, and just the right amount of church organ to hail and praise Satan in the most entertaining and awesome way possible (i must give mad props to the always awesome and entertaining Shawn C. Baker for turning me on to these guys). Listen to "Ghuleh / Zombie Queen" below and go get new album "Infestissumam" now.

The ever and always prolific San Francisco fuzz rocker Ty Segall has a new jam, "Music for a Film 1," up for grabs on the latest 7" from Less Artists More Condos, a split with Chad & The Meatbodies. These splits are always a lot of fun, and Ty's song grooves and rocks with the best of them. Listen below and get the songs here.

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Melbourne, Australia's Hiatus Kaiyote comb through multiple genres and styles to craft your new driving through the desert at night soundtrack. Bits of sprawling, Western, Morricone-esque notes swirl and splash with flourishes of futuristic computers and world beats on the band's debut "Tawk Tomahawk." It's a fun ride. You can listen to album opener "Mobius Streak" below and go here to get the album.

Saturday, April 27, 2013

And here we have Norwegian band Wardruna. Pagan, tribal, Norse folk with an underlying black metal vibe through the whole thing. That's probably all you need to know. It's awesome, and can currently be heard on the "Vikings" program on The History Channel. Listen to "Fehu" below and look for the "Yggdrasil" album. I think you can still buy it directly from the band.

Friday, April 26, 2013

The unlikely duo of Moby and Mark Lanegan released a 7" single last Saturday for Record Store Day. "The Lonely Night" is a slow burning, moody dirge, reminiscent of the early 90's output of Leonard Cohen. In other words, it's haunting and gorgeous. Listen below.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Case Studies is the solo project from Jesse Lortz of Seattle folk due The Duchess and The Duke. "Villain" is a slightly wistful dark folk song. It's very melancholy, yet there's something menacing about the whole thing. Listen below and get the 7" from Sweet Rot Records.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Every decade is plastered with novelty hits of some sort or another. Some join the cultural lexicon while many others become the forgotten relics of bargain bins and memories, occasionally popping up in some ironic incarnation or another. Children of The Night's 1977 album "Dinner with Drac!" piles on the shock and schlock of the Universal monster movies with some old school Rock & Roll. The result is an interesting album i would have loved when i was five, but that i still kind of dig now. The title track is a cover of cool ghoul John Zacherley's 1958 tune of the same name. The Children of The Night's version of the jam ups the rock aspect a notch, but keeps the cheese that makes it special. The rest of the album features skits and more songs about monsters. All in all, a fun listen and a "hipper" counterpart to the old standby "Monster Mash." I'll have to be sure to bust this one back out during Halloween.

Below is a 1984 video shot for the title track by Bruce Dunn. It's complete and total cheese, but fun nonetheless. Give it a look.

With so many RSD releases to sift through, some have been neglected by me, like the wonderful release from Brooklyn's noisy sonic assault that is A Place To Bury Strangers. On "Strange Moon," released via Dead Oceans, the band tackles a number of songs from 80's/90's Oregon based punk band Dead Moon. The result is like listening to the best neighborhood garage band you've ever heard. Listen to "Don't Burn the Fires" below.

Monday, April 22, 2013

French band Mayerling will be releasing their new album "Cut Up" on a limited CD run through Hands In The Dark Records. Minimalist, reverby, with layers of drone, a solid yet subdued electro-beat, and out-of-place vocals, the music is unsettling, like some sort of tweaked output from a Bizarro-version Syd Barrett. Listen to "La Mort N'en Saura Rien" below.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

NYC duo Tempers combine some of things a love best (shoegaze, cold wave, industrial) and craft some excellent music to score that next party you throw in an abandoned factory somewhere. Listen to "Strange Harvest" below and look for the 7" from Pendu Sound.

I'm kind of jumping all over the place today, but this throbbing, aching, epic, stoner, doom gem from metal band Conan has me slamming my head into a wall. "Beheaded" comes from a split 12" with fellow metal band Bongripper. Listen to the 17-minute head splitting mantra below and grab the record from Holy Roar.

UK post punk act Savages are set to have a big 2013. After a well received single and live EP, the band are readying their debut full-length "Silence Yourself" LP for release via Matador in a couple of weeks. Check out the video for the anxious album opener "Shut Up" below.

A number of excellent releases came out yesterday, many of which i never even saw anywhere, like the head-nodding new single from MGMT. We haven't heard from these guys in a while (especially after the mixed reaction to their sophomore album), but i guess absence makes the heart grow fonder. "Alien Days" is a trippy little psyche number, perfect for a sun blistered afternoon. Listen below.

Boston based music blog Allston Pudding has put together a pretty awesome mixtape of underground artists (many from Massachusetts) to benefit One Fund Boston, a foundation created by Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick and Boston mayor Tom Menino. Stream the whole thing below, or go get the download here for a donation of $1 or more.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Something would be wrong with me if i didn't post about Daft Punk's upcoming triumphant return. So, without further ado, take a listen to the official version of "Get Lucky" featuring Pharrell and Nile Rodgers and look for "Random Access Memories" later in May. It's funky and smooth. Aw yeah.

Everyone's favorite French weirdo and electronic artist Sebastien Tellier teams with Chairlift's Caroline Polachek for the awesome and dreamy "In the Crew of Tea Time." Watch the equally awesome and dreamy video below. Word on the street is the two have a Record Store Day 7" coming out tomorrow. Whether or not that means an American release, i do not know. Fingers crossed.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Just when i thought i'd never get another fix of outer space surf rock, after 12 years, Alabama's kings of outer space surf rock Man Or Astro-Man? return with new album "Defcon 5...4...3...2...1" in May from Vessels. Listen to the groovy, garage blast that is "Disintegrate" below.

Electronic and analog synthesizer artist Laurel Halo will be releasing a new EP, "Behind the Green Door," next month from Hyperdub. Check out the bare bones single "Throw" below, a clanking, out-of-tune, and foreboding little number.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

I have been a vinyl junkie for some time now (i drank the Eddie Vedder Kool-Aid way back when i was in high school, and i've never looked back). Because of that, i love discovering weird and interesting oddities when i go crate digging, and so i bring to you the first in what is hopefully an ongoing series of blog posts, Found Vinyl.

Up first is the 1983 album "Love Is the Law," from English performer Toyah. Look at that album cover. Seriously, look at it. It's got a bunch of fencers and a girl that looks like an extra from the 80's movie "Solarbabies." How could i not purchase this monstrosity? So of course i did. It's kind of exactly what you think it would be, a mix of new wave, goth, dance pop, and synth rock. Think like if Siouxsie Sioux, Georgio Moroder, and early 80's David Bowie got together, went on a coke binge, and recorded an album while watching "The Never Ending Story," and you're just about there. Take a listen to album opener "Broken Diamonds," to get an idea of what i'm talking about.

Gets the blood flowing doesn't it?

So, after doing a little research on the divine Ms. Toyah, turns out the girl and her band actually put out seven albums from 1979 to 1983, the above "Love Is the Law" being their final record. Which is too bad. In our current everything-old-is-new-again/revival/remix culture, there is still room for Toyah somewhere in the musical landscape. Reunion album? Someone make this happen. Daft Punk, i'm looking in your direction.

Okay, i'll admit that i've been really ho-hum and uninterested in Zack Snyder's new Superman movie, "Man of Steel." But then i watched the new trailer that came out yesterday, and i have to admit that it looks pretty damn awesome. In a summer season filled to the brim with excellent looking films, i'm even more excited now. Watch it below.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

So, the first thing that drew me to Norway's Jenny Hval was the above album cover image. That looks up my alley. And wouldn't you know it, upon listening, it IS totally up my alley. "The Seer" layers on the drone and psyche to hypnotize while the vocals soar like a beaming solo in a cathedral. Beautiful and trippy stuff. Listen below and look for the "Innocence is Kinky" album from Rune Grammofon (Norwegian label) later this month.

Monday, April 15, 2013

The Coombe is the musical project of artists Karen Sharkey and Samuel de La Rosa. The duo's debut EP is an interesting little piece of music, a short collection of instrumental tracks using synthesizers, piano, guitar, eclectic percussion, and more to craft a soundtrack for a seance in a cold desert. Or better yet, the music to exploring an ancient cave. Groovy stuff. Listen to "Tierra Amarilla" below and look for the album soon on Mannequin Records.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

I don't really know anything about who or what Jai Paul is,other that he is a singer/songwriter/producer out of the UK. Part electro, part R&B, part dance, and so on, but it's pretty enjoyable stuff. He just released his debut album available for download here. Stream it below.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Lightning Dust is the side project of Black Mountain members Amber Webber and Josh Wells. New album "Fantasy" will be out in June from Jagjaguwar. Where Black Mountain wades in 70's stoner rock, Lightning Dust plays with bits and pieces of 70's AM folk and 80's synthy soft rock. It's all so very retro, but enjoyable. Listen to "Diamond" below, a nice slice of pop that would have worked wonderfully in a John Hughes movie, or at the very least, something with Jennifer Beals in it.

Friday, April 12, 2013

This actually came out a little while ago, but i feel it my duty to bring to you the excellent, sing-songy, girl garage rock of Memphis's Toxie. The "Newgate" 7" should be available from Goner Records. Listen below and prepare to have the jam stuck in your head for the rest of the weekend.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Southern rapper Big K.R.I.T. just cannot disappoint me. Everything i hear from this guy is as smooth as a hot knife through butter (or any other overplayed analogy you may have in mind), and he seems to give most of it away for free. A little while back, i mentioned the excellent Bun B featuring track "Shine On," which is included on K.R.I.T.'s new mixtape "King Remembered in Time." You can download the whole thing here and watch the video for the James Blake sampling "R.E.M." below while you wait.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

I know i push on Danish cold wave/post punk band Vår (War) quite often, but seriously, i'm hooked like a recovering addict is on methadone. Featuring members of Iceage and Lower, the band creates cold and bleak music, grey skies, snowflakes, and ashes. Listen to "The World Fell" from upcoming full length "No One Dances Quite Like My Brothers" below. Get the album in May from Sacred Bones.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

I have been completely hooked on HAERTS' awesome debut single "Wings" since i first heard it late last year. Their SXSW performance sealed the deal, and now we finally get a proper video for the song, directed by Emily Kai Bock. Watch it below, be on the look out for a full length album some time in the fall, and go buy the 7" here.

Check out the video for "Never Run Away" from the always dependable Kurt Vile's new album "Wakin on a Pretty Daze." Dreamy, sun-drenched, sometimes folky guitar rock. Nice stuff. In the video, Vile receives a little help from his daughter. Get the album from Matador.

Dark, minimalist producer Chris Dexter, otherwise know as the google confusing oOoOO has been kicking around for a few years releasing songs and EPs, but is finally set to release his proper full length debut "Without Your Love" in June on his own Nihjgt Feelings Records. Listen to first single "Stay Here" featuring vocals from M.L. below. It sounds like being drunk on island beach long after the sun has gone down.

One of my favorite bands to come out of the late 90's was UK experimental pop act The Beta Band ("Dry the Rain" is probably one of my favorite songs of all time). Part pop, part folk, part psych, part prog, part trip-hop, their run was all too brief. At any rate, former Beta Band member Steve Mason has just released a new solo effort entitled "Monkey Minds in the Devil's Time," and it's pretty damn good. Elements of The Beta Band are definitely there, but there's much more of political feel on these new songs, as most certainly evidenced by the track "Fight Them Back," as well as the accompanying video. Check that out below and get the record from Double Six.

I've really been digging everything i've been hearing from Kylesa's upcoming new album "Ultraviolet." Of late, the band has been combining their metal riffs with more of a shoegaze kind of thing. With Laura Pleasants on lead vocals, there's almost a Curve feel to the whole thing...but with more balls. Listen to "Vulture's Landing" below and look for the new album in May on Season of Mist.

Monday, April 8, 2013

In the mood for a modern homage to some old school Italo-electro-groove? Sure you are. Check out "Elimination Street" from the new "Mask of the Maker" album from Brooklyn's Jonas Reinhardt featuring Meryl Press on guest vocals. It will make you shake. Listen below. The album comes out tomorrow on Not Not Fun.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Local Austin synthesizer enthusiast Xander Harris will be releasing his second LP, "The New Dark Age of Love," next week via Not Not Fun. It's a dancey, trancey concoction, perfect for sci-fi scores and long night drives through the neon city. Listen to "Night Fortress" below and grab the record here.

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Detroit rapper Black Milk will be releasing his "Synth or Soul" 12" on Record Store Day via his own Computer Ugly record label. Check out a couple of tracks from the release below, "Computer Ugly Ugly," and "Why Worry."

Friday, April 5, 2013

Black Bananas is the latest project from ex-Royal Trux member Jennifer Herrema. On April 20th, Volcom will release a split single with said Black Bananas and Black Moth Super Rainbow member Tobacco. "Hey Rockin" is a scuzzy little number, fit for garage beer drinking and back alley shenanigans. Listen below.

After watching the trailer for August's upcoming "You're Next," a proverbial bevy of film trailers have come across my attention that have me doing a happy dance. This summer looks like it's going to be a great time to be in the theater. So, here's a bunch of trailers for movies i'm counting down to.

Evil Dead (opens today!)

The Purge

Only God Forgives (muchas gracias to Shawn Baker for tipping me off on this one)

This Is The End

Pacific Rim

I could probably keep doing this for the next hour, but i'll leave it at five. See you at the movies.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Anybody got an extra $300 laying around? I sure could use it to procure a copy of avant garde composer William Basinski's "The Disintegration Loops" vinyl/CD/DVD box set. It's a gorgeous composition of degrading tape loops, an intoxicating and trance inducing opus that i can only assume is the sound of ascending to heaven. Listen to "Disintegration Loop 1.1" below and watch the accompanying video of lower Manhattan in plumes of billowing smoke on the last hour of daylight on 9/11/01. It's been a while since i've been so moved by a piece of music. The box set came out in November and is still available from Temporary Residence.

Atlanta metal band Royal Thunder's bluesy, blistering debut full-length LP "CVI" actually came out almost a year ago, and i'm just now getting around to talking about it here. I must have been busy or something. At any rate, those searching for a female vocal fronted psych/prog/metal opus that plays like the soundtrack to a southern Gothic tome need look no further. Royal Thunder's got you covered. Listen to "Black Water Vision" below and grab the album from Relapse Records.

Bonus: Head over to Pitchfork and stream an awesome acoustic version of the song as well. It's fantastic.

Let it be known that i have an eternal soft spot in my heart for Huey Lewis and The News. Maybe it's because i was a little kid when i heard "The Heart of Rock and Roll" for the first time. Maybe it was "Back to The Future." Maybe it was Weird Al Yankovic's parody. There's really no telling. I can tell you though, that the Funny or Die sketch below reenacting a scene from "American Psycho" with Huey Lewis as Patrick Bateman and Weird Al as his hapless victim is pure, unadulterated genius. Watch below.

Side story: In 2010 as SXSW, a rumor circulated that Huey Lewis was going to play a secret show on top of the roof at the Whole Foods downtown. It was a cruel, cruel hoax. Anyway, enjoy the video.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Deerhunter's new track "Monomania" has been making the rounds the last 24 hours or so, and i find it pretty easy to understand why. The scratchy title track from the band's upcoming new album is a raucous and swirling affair of crashing cymbals, shrieking guitars, and in-the-red vocals, a noisy revival of Bradford Cox and the band's early punk rock roots. I love it. Listen below and be on the lookout for the "Monomania" LP in May from 4AD.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

On Record Store Day (4/20), Ty Segall brings us another collection of T. Rex covers. "Ty Rex 2" includes versions of "Cat Black (The Wizard's Hat)" and "The Motivator," which you can listen to below courtesy of Goner Records.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Rock and Roll is still alive, and that's a wonderful thing. Crunchy and ripping guitar riffs, a driving beat, and hollered vocals, Olympia's Milk Music deliver on all counts. Equal parts J. Mascis, Paul Westerberg, and Bob Mould, debut LP "Cruise Your Illusion" is as fun a ride as you can hope to get. Listen to "I've Got A Wild Feeling" below, and grab the album from Fat Possum.

Every now and then i feel compelled to toot the horn of a comic book series that i'm into. And lately those books have been cranking out from Image Comics, which is kind of amusing (especially to someone who's been collecting comics for 25 years) since Image used to be the publisher that valued style over substance. All the early books were rip-offs of other superhero books from the big two (Marvel and DC), hyper-stylized versions of the X-Men or Spiderman or Batman and so on. So it seems odd now that some of the most original and fantastic work ("Fatale," "Saga," "Bedlam," "Sex") is coming out on said publisher, bu that's the way it goes.

All of this brings us to the new series from Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta. "East of West" is a sci-fi, western, revenge tale set in a dystopian version of the United States involving the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Oh, and Death intends to hunt down the persons who have done him wrong, including the president. Count me in. The guys at my local comic store feel that Hickman is the smartest writer in comics these days, and those dudes generally know what they're talking about. I cannot recommend this book enough.

"The things that divide us are stronger than the things that unite us."